Cachibou, Cuban cigar
Calathea lutea

Family: Marantaceae

What it is like

A large herb. It can be 5 m high. It grows in clumps. The leaves are large and paddle shaped. They are green. The flowers are yellow.

The leaves are used for wax. There are 260-300 Calathea species in tropical America.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It can grow in partly flooded or well drained sites. Brisbane Botanical gardens. In Townsville palmetum.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward. Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The young leaves are used as a spice. The older leaves are used to wrap food and add flavour.

Edible parts

Leaves - spice

How it is grown

It can be grown from seeds or pieces of the rhizomes. It can also be grown by division of the clump.

Its other names

Local names

Bakuwa, Berijo, Berijado, Bijao, Bijagua, Cashibou, Cauassu, Chakra panka, Fiba jaki, Hoja blanca, Hoya de te, Ja'opo, Krigo nue, Tho

Synonyms

Calathea cachibou (Jacq.) Lindl. ex Horan.; Calathea discolor G. Mey.; Calathea magnifica C.V. Morton & Skutch; Maranta cachibou Jacq.; Maranta casupo Jacq.; Maranta disticha Buc'hoz; Maranta lutea Aubl.; Phrynium casupo (Jacq.) Roscoe; Phrynium luteum (Aubl.) Sweet; Phyllodes lutea (Aubl.) Kuntze;